a good bit o' background on rootkits.. suggesting linux systems may be vulnerable too, though not from this particular bit of sony trash http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rootkit if linux systems are vulnerable, then macs are too ! ----- Original Message ----- From: "James B. Davis" Re: Rotkits, was metadata : I had a raging debate in the newsgroups with a bunch of Apple lunatic who claimed that Quicktime could not and would not : and did not do that. Sorry to say I knew better because it happened to me but I was one of the only ones smart enough to : actually realize what had happened. Afterwards several PC users contacted me saying exactly the same thing happened to : them. I guess Mac users are used to have auto install everything but on my computer anything that is installed I want to : be on my wishes, not hidden. yup, know what you mean - I made it go away with Aurelitec Software's "Add/Remove Plus! " after following the instructions right at the bottom of this post first. then installed realternative and quicktimealternative - both freeware, with the entire k-lite codec pack and media player classic, which while it superficially resembles an early MS product, has heaps more grunt and a lot less system drain :-) quacktime replacement http://www.free-codecs.com/download/QuickTime_Alternative.htm Helltime replacement http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Real_Alternative.htm :You notice a new icon in the system tray with a Quicktime : logo. Clicking it you find out you can't uninstall it. You don't know how it got there because you chose NO, DO NOT : INSTALL. : : This surely was the world's first legal virus and nobody knows or cares about it. Sure, I could just join the crowd and : install and use Quicktime, but I DON'T WANT TO USE THE THING AND I DON'T NEED IT THE MOVIES SUCK ANYWAY. : : /RANT OFF dear-O-dear Jim! hit start > run > type in msconfig go to the startup tab and untick any program you'd rather not have running at startup ( I have a very select few only) then click apply, then OK, your machine will want to restart.. let it. When it reboots you'll get a popup window suggesting you've mucked up your system and it urges you to click OK to restore everything, or click NO to leave things the way you just set them - click no, but before you do note in the bottom left there's a tick box that says 'don't show me this again' - tick it! Otherwise winXP will moan and complain everytime you start that some of the super essential software (that you never use) won't be ready to eat your memory at startup! ;-) hope this helps some (I share the frustration!) k
